As I sat in the back seat of the car, the landscape outside the window gradually shifted from the lush greenery of our own kingdom to the dry, desolate terrain of the eastern province. The contrast was stark and unsettling.
The fields were barren, the rivers mere trickles, and the towns we passed through seemed to be on the brink of collapse. People moved listlessly, their faces drawn and eyes hollow with despair. It was clear that the eastern province was suffering greatly, and the burden of their struggles weighed heavily on my mind.
The journey felt interminable, but at last, the outline of the eastern empire's castle appeared on the horizon. It was a formidable structure, perched atop a rocky hill, its dark stone walls weathered by time and elements. As we approached, the gates swung open, and we drove through a courtyard bustling with soldiers and servants.
